Patch reinforcement



Math 1 1, 1952 T. E. VASSAR PATCH REINFORCEMENT Filed Feb. 17, "1947 R mH W.

THOMAS E. VASSAR BY A A TTOR/VEKS Patented Mar. ll, 1952 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 7 PATCH REINFORCEMENT Thomas E. Vassar, Clarks Summit,Pa., assignor to Eureka Specialty Printing Company, Scranton, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania.

Application February 17, 1947, Serial No. 729,049

3 Claims. 1

Thi invention is concerned with a reinforcement for preventing thetearing of sheet materials adjacent apertures therein provided for thepassage of a securing or other elements which exert tearing or wearingeffects upon the edges of the apertures.

A feature is the provision of patch reinforcements of shape which permitrapid and economical forming in and separation from a strip of material.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a patchreinforcement which can be applied to a perforated sheet employed in alooseleaf binder without removal of the-sheet from the binder.

A further feature resides in the method of cutting a strip of materialto provide patch reinforcements without wastage of material.

With these and other features as objects in view, as will appear in thecourse of the following description and claims, an illustrative form ofpractice is shown on the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a couple of the patch reinforcements applied to aloose-leaf sheet.

Figure 2 shows a single patch reinforcement.

Figure 3 shows the lay-out and cutting to provide individual patchreinforcements from a strip of fabric.

Figure 4 is a view of a portion of a strip or sheet, indicating amodified arrangement.

Figure 5 is a view corresponding to Figure 2, showing a double patchreinforcement.

Figure 6 is a view of a strip cut for providing a further modificationof arrangement.

Sheets have been perforated to receive securing elements; and, duringextensive service, the sheets are deformed or torn adjacent theperforations. The practice has heretofor been to reinforce the sheetadjacent such perforations by rings of fabric which are cemented orotherwise applied to the sheet. It i necessary to remove the sheet fromthe securing element in order to apply the rings; and'the manufacture ofthe rings represents a considerable loss because the central disks andalso the frames of the fabric between the individual rings must bediscarded.

In accordance with the preferred form of the present invention, a widestrip of fabric is weakened orcut by three series of lines, one of whichserves to split it into narrower widths, a second is wavy or sinuouswith a general direction parallel to the edges, andthe third seriescomprises two groups of parallel lines each extending from one edge ofthe narrow strip to the most remote part of the sinuous line on saidstrip.

In Figure 3, the general strip of fabric is out along lines providingthe-parallel edges [0, II. A sinuous or wavy line I2 is followed by asecond cut; and the two groups I3, 14 of parallel lines extendindividually from one edge [0 or H to the most remote part of thesinuous line [2; that is, each cut or weakening by these parallel linesextends from a re-entrant part of the wavy line and in the illustratedform passes through the center of curvature of the arcuate portionproviding the re-entrant or remote part. It will be noted that thesevarious cut may be made simultaneously or successively. This arrangementforms the strip into individual patches having projections, with theadjacent projections of two patches being formed in the notch of anopposite patch. The cuts need not be complete, that is, small bridge 15may be left whereby the product remains integral while permitting easydetachment and separation of the individual reinforcement by breakingthe bridges connecting it to adjacent pieces.

The individual reinforcements 20 thus made are illustrated in Figure 2,as having straight edges at three sides l3, l3, l0, and a re-entrantnotch 2| at the fourth side provided by a symmetrically curved lineconnecting the parallel edges; this notch by design being of a bottomdiameter appropriate to the use intended, and its rim joining the outeredges l3, l3 substantially at right angles.

The loose-leaf sheet 30 of Figure 1 has th perforations 3| for thesecuring elements 32, indicated in dotted lines as the separable archpieces of a loose-leaf binder. Each of the'perforations 3| is reinforcedby a patch 20 which is positioned between the hole and the adjacent DIinner edge of the sheet. It will be noted that the patches may beapplied without removing the sheet from the binder, as its open notch 2|permits slipping it into position around the element 32.

In the form shown in Figure 4, a strip having the parallel edges 40, AIis cut by the wavy lines 42, 43, 44 and by the groups of parallel lines45, 46, 41, 48. The wavy lines have the same distance from crest tocrest, corresponding to the intended length of the single patch alongthe length of the sheet to be reinforced; the alternate wavy lines havetheir maximum leftward extensions opposite the rightward maximumextensions of the intervening lines. The lines 45, 48 extending from theedges 40, 4| terminate at the adjacent wavy lines 42, '44 at the mostremote parts of these lines, to form single patches 20 as shown inFigure 2. The lines 46, 41 pass between the most remote parts ofadjacent wavy lines 42, 43 and 43, 44, and provide double patches(Figure 5). In manufacture, it is preferred to press or score the stripalong median lines 49 midway between the wavy lines, to form a hingingline for bending the double patches into the shape 50 shown in Figure 5.Such a double patch can be engaged over the edge of the sheet 55, andattached thereto to reinforce the same at both faces.

A further form, useful with spiral wire or comb-type securing elementsis shown in Figure 6, in which a strip having the edges 60, BI is cutwith a wavy line 62, and the cuts 63, 64 extend from alternate edgeseach to a. most remote point of the wavy line 62. Upon separation, thepatches 65, 66, 67, 68 each provide reinforcement for the edge of asheet which is secured by closely-spaced multiple elements: the spacingof adjacent notches formed by the wavy line 62 corresponds to thespacing of the securing elements. For example, a commercially availablestenographers notebook has sheets 6 x 9 inches, with a spiral wiresecuring element having a patch between turns of one-fifth inch: forsuch a book, the patches 65, 66, 67, 68 are each six inches long, withthe notches spaced one-fifth of an inch apart and having the bottom ofthe notch formed as a circular arc of about inch radius.

It is presently preferred to make the reinforcements of strong cloth,which may be provided in webs coated at one side with a suitablewaterremoistening glue, so that the operation of applying compriseswetting this surface of the patch, locating it, and pressing it intoadherent relation to the sheet. Other materials and means of securingthe same can be substitutedg as primary points of this invention are inthe making and provision of a multiplicity of such reinforcements fromsheet material without waste, and with the individual reinforcementsshaped to receive the binder post' or other securing element and toextend beyond the same in reinforcing positions while permittinginsertion and attachment without removal of the basic sheet from thesecuring element preparatory to applying the reinforcement. Thus, thereinforcements may be employed in lieu of annular pieces as eyelets orgrommets for paper, cloth, etc. and secured by various means such asremoistening glues, hot cements, stitching, etc.

The method of manufacture and the shape of the patch avoid any waste ofmaterial, as compared with losses of 20 to 25 per cent in making annularpatches. Further, the applied patchgives greater strength than anannular patch having the same area of material because its projectionsextend over the usual lines of tear for loose-leaf sheets, and becausethese projections extend beyond the position of the outer periphery ofan annular patch.

It is obvious that the illustrative shape and employment are notrestrictive, and that the device may be made and used in many ways.

I claim:

1. A group of patch reinforcements of flexible fabric, each having are-entrant notch therein for receiving the binder element, eachindividual reinforcement having spaced projections separated by saidnotch, said group constituting a connected strip having two straightparallel edges with a wavy weakening line extending in the same generaldirection as said edges and located between two rows of reinforcementsextending along said strip, parts of the wavy line being located remotefrom said one edge and other parts being remote from the other edge, afirst group of weakening lines extending individually from said one edgeto a part of the wavy line most remote from said one edge and locatedbetween the patch reinforcements of a first row, and a second group ofweakening lines extending individually from the other edge to a part ofthe wavy line most remote from said other edge and located between patchreinforcements of a second row, two adjacent patch reinforcements infirst row having projections located in the notch provided in a patchreinforcement of the second row and the notch of a patch reinforcementof the first row having located therein projections of two patchreinforcements of the second row, the patch reinforcements beingseparably connected across said weakening lines.

2. A group of patch reinforcements as in claim 1, in which the weakeninglines are partly cut through and in which each patch is connected to alladjacent patches by small tearable bridges interrupting the cut lines.

3. A group of patch reinforcements of flexible fabric, each having are-entrant notch therein for receiving the binder element, eachindividual reinforcement having spaced projections separated by saidnotch, said group constituting a connected strip having a straight edgewith a wavy weakening line extending in the same general direction assaid edge and located between two rows of patch reinforcements extendingalong said strip with a first row located adjacent said straight edge,parts ofthe wavy line being near said traight edge and other parts beingmore remote from said straight edge, a first group of parallel weakeninglines extending individually from said straight edge to a part of thewavy line most remote from said straight edge and located between patchreinforcements of the first row, and a second group of parallelweakening lines extending individually from a part of the wavy line mostadjacent said straight edge in a direction away from said edge andlocated between patch reinforcements of the other row, two adjacentpatch reinforcements in said first row having projections located in thenotch provided in a patch reinforcement of the other row and the notchof a patch reinforcement in said first row having located thereinprojections of two patch reinforcements of the other row, the patchreinforcements being separably connected across said weakening lines.

. THOMAS E. VASSAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 171,524 Medbery 'Dec. 28, 1875219,617 Cady Sept. 16, 1879 226,051 Ells Mar. 30, 1880 269,688 LevettDec. 28, 1882 361,603 Wheeler Apr. 19, 1887 454,316 Wheeler June 16,1891 473,775 ORourke Apr. 26, 1892 913,906 McComb Mar. 2, 1909 1,679,351Dohm Aug. 7, 1925 1,826,889 Koch Oct. 13, 1931 1,869,385 Maish Aug. 2,1932 2,059,148 Schade Oct. 27, 1936 2,188,310 Price Jan. 20, 19402,437,640 'Hedrick Mar. 9, 1948 OTHER REFERENCES Golf Tee Strip, PopularMechanics Magazine, September, 1939, page 406.

